Pursuing The Whisper Series

“What Are You Good For?”

Part 2 – Pursuing the Whisper

So in the way of review, I told you last week that in order for us to find our individual destiny we must first find our corporate destiny. Therefore, I referred you to David’s ragtag, unqualified, overlooked men. These men would be considered misfits. The Word tells us they were distressed, in debt, discontent. They weren’t on any who’s who list, they were up for no awards, and they had no problem with paparazzi wanting to chronicle their life. They were nobodies. I also told you that their description fits most of us. We, too, are misfits. We too are distressed, in debt, and discontent or bitter. However, if David could turn these men into mighty warriors we could do the same. You will remember the steps to doing that right? We have to rally around a common cause. Which for us is Encounter, Equip, Engage. We have to rally around one another. Fight for rather than against one another. Look at your neighbor and say “I still got your back”. Nothing has changed. I am still praying for you. Believing in you. I also said we have to be willing to fight. No room or place for wimps. This is going to be hard work that takes a while. And finally, I mentioned that we have to be willing to trust leaders. Even if we have been hurt, even if we have experienced bitterness, and even though no leader is perfect we must come to the place where we trust. To have authority we must be under authority! It is only those that have authority that are under no authority that you should fear!

So now that we have that foundation in place I want to talk to you the next few weeks on how to find out what your are good for. We are going to examine the life of one of David’s mighty men. His story is somewhat obscure. I challenge you to make plans to be here for the next three weeks or you will miss out on what I believe is one of the most powerful and interesting stories in the entire Bible. You will want to make sure you are here to find out how this turns out. I am purposely going to leave you hanging and you will have no clue unless you are here on the final week.

This is a story and I am going to do my best to tell it that way and then make application at the end of each section.

Let me say this before we get into the story. A recent survey revealed that 74% of us are still trying to figure out the purpose or meaning of their life.

One of the most disturbing findings of this survey was that since most people couldn’t figure out their real purpose in life, 53% contended that they decided that the main purpose of life is enjoyment and personal fulfillment.

That means that 3 out almost 4 of you are wondering what am I good for? And that over half of you are only living for a few laughs, a few self-centered accomplishments with no thought about anything beyond yourself or the legacy that you will leave behind.

I want to declare two things to your right now:

1. You can know your purpose in life! God isn’t playing some game of cosmic hide and seek with you. He isn’t sitting in heaven laughing as He watches you falter and wander aimlessly through life. He wants you to know why you are here!

2. You were created for more than fun and a few laughs. There is something for you to do and accomplish that cannot be accomplished by anyone but you. You have a lasting contribution to make and you will find more personal fulfillment and enjoyment when you discover and do that thing than any other way. Anything less than finding your purpose is a waste of time and meaningless.

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 2:13-16; 1 Samuel 26:6-8; I Samuel 24:2-4; II Samuel 15:13-14; 16:5-9; 19:16, 19-21 (will read this and then read some of the story in my words.)

I Chronicles 2:13-16

“And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third, Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, Ozem the sixth, David the seventh: Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.”

I Samuel 26:6-8

“Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.”